Trimmer or paper cutter



United States Patent- O TRIMMER R PAPER CU'ITER Joe Biggs wilson,Texarkana, Ark. Application December 18, 1953, Serial No. 398,921 1Claim. (Cl. 164-76) This invention relates to paper trimmers of the kind-in which paper is positioned Von the baseboard of the trimmer so thatthe line along which it is to be severed lies along one edge of thebaseboard with which a cutting instrument is adapted to cooperate.

Paper trimmers of the kind to which this invention relates generallyconsist of a baseboard having inscribed on its upper surface a gridworkwhich assists in aligning paper which is to be cut in the trimmer withone cutting edge of thebaseboard on which it is customary to provideametal corner. In the past, most trimmers of this kind haveemployed ahand-operated cutting instrument which cooperates with the cutting edgeof the baseboard to shear the paper along a line corresponding to thecutting edge of the board. It is known that trimming instruments of thiskind are difficult to use eliciently when working with large sheetsofpaper, such as blueprints, large photostats, and other similarengineering prints andrdrawings.` This-is due mainly to the fact thatthe paper to be cut cannot be accurately maintained in position inthe-trimmer while the operator manually actuates the cutting element. Y

The purpose of this invention-is to provide a new and improved papertrimmer of the kind in which the cutting element is moved automaticallyalong the cooperatingcutting edge of the baseboard to cut the paperpositioned in the trimmer and `then Yreturn to its starting position. n

Afurther object of thev invention is to provide a power-operated trimmerof this kind which is so constructed `that the cutting implement ismaintained lin constant close engagement with the cutting edge of thebaseboard and at a normal angle to the plane of the cutting edge onwhich the paper being cut is supported.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor driven trimmerof this kind in which there is associated with the drive for the cuttingimplement a positive drive of the support means for the cuttingimplement along the cooperating cutting edge of the baseboard.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for supporting thecarriage of the power driven cutting element in a simple but steady andreliable manner which after long usage will not become loosened to theextent that the cutting instrument is thrown out of its properrelationship with the cutting edge of the baseboard.

Further objects and the advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings and thefollowing detailed description thereof. It will be understood, however,that the specific illustration and description of the invention issolely for the purpose of facilitating an understanding, and not to beconstrued as limiting the invention, except as specified in the appendedclaim.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a trimmer in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

2,846,005 Patented Aug. 5, 1958 Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of thetrimmer shown in Fig. 2; and

. Fig. 4 is a diagram of a suitable motor control circuit for myinvention.

Referring to the drawings it may be seen that a trimmer according to myinvention comprises a baseboard 10 which is generally rectangular and onone of the lateral edges of which there is provided a metal cutting edge12 which is L-shaped in cross section, one of its legs 14 being recessedinto the baseboard 12 so that the horizontal surface of the leg lies ushwith the surface of the baseboard. (See Figure 2.) Along each of theside edges of the baseboard 10, adjacent the end on which the cuttingedge 12 is affixed, there are provided upright members 16, 18, on theupper ends of which is fixedly supported a transom in the shape ofchannel bar 20.

As may be seen from-Figure 1, the channel bar 20 extends transversely ofthe baseboard 10 parallel to the cutting edge 12. The channel bar 20serves as a track on which the carriage, generally indicated as 22, issupported for movement transversely of the baseboard 10. The carriage 22supports the cutting blade 24 which is positioned to cooperate with thecutting edge 12 in shearing paper or other material which is placed inthe trimmer. As previously indicated, the carriage 22 is power drivenand'when actuated will move from its initial position shown in Figure ltransversely across the baseboard 10. The cutting blade 24 is providedwith positive drive means so arranged that the passage of the carriagein this manner causes the .cutting blade to spin as it is drawn alongthe cutting edge 12 to effect the -shearing of the paper or othermaterial inserted in the trimmer.

As may be seen best from Figure 2, the carriage 22 comprises `twospaced-apart, vertical plates 30, 32, which are secured in thatrelationship by means of four bolts 36 which carry spacing sleeves 40,41 between the plates 30, 32. The spacing between the plates 30, 32, issuch that the channel bar 20 may be received therebetween in a snug, butsliding engagement. The sleeve 40 supports the rollers 42, 44 which restupon the upper horizontal surface of the channel bar 20. These rollersor bearings 42, 44 support the weight of the carriage 22, on the channelbar 20, so that there is a minimum of frictional resistance to themovement of the carriage 22 along the vchannel bar 20. Also supported onthe carriage 22 is the motor 46 which provides the drive to move thecarriage and also the drive for turning the cutting element 24 which ismaintained in close engagement with the cutting edge 12 as the carriageprogresses transversely of the baseboard. A worm gear 48 is supported onthe drive shaft of the motor and this engages a pinion 50 which issecured to the shaft 54. The shaft 54 is journalled in the carriageandon the portion of the shaft 54 between the plates 30, 32 there issupported a pinion 62 which is secured to the shaft by a set pin in theintegral hub 64. The pinion 62 engages a rack 66 which is provided orformed on the bottom of the lower horizontal leg of the channel bar 20.It will be seen, therefore, that when the worm gear 48 is driven by themotor, the drive will be transmitted through the shaft 54 to the pinion62. As the channel bar carrying the rack 66 is stationary, and thecarriage is freely mounted thereon, rotation of the pinion 62 willresult in the drive throughl the pinion 62l which imparts move ment tothe carriage along the channel bar 20.

Referring to Figure l it may be seen that the channel bar at each` endis provided with end plates 90, 92, respectively, which are fixed withinthe channel. pivotboltsk 94, 96fextend through apertures in the plates90, 92, respectively, and through aligned apertures in the uprights 161,18, respectively, so thatv the channel bar,

and the carriage 22 supported thereon maybe swung about the bolts 94,96. In order to maintain the cutting blade 24 snugly against thecutting' edge 12, depending arms 98, 100 are iixed tothe/'channel barateither end, and' the lower portions of these arms are xed' to and drawnrearwardly by springs 1-02, 104, respectively, which are fixed at theirother ends tothe bolts 106, 108, carried by the uprights 16, 18,respectively.

Referring to Figures 2' and 3 it may be seen that in this constructionthe motor 46' is supported on the horizontal llangel of a bracket 110which is fixed to the outer face of the plate 32, and that the driveshaft of the motor extends through anV aperture in this ange. The end ofthe drive shaft carriesv the worm 48 which ispositioned to drive thepinion 50.

A motor reversing switch 112, and an off-on switch 114 are supported onthe plate 30 in position that they may engage the trip bolts 116, 118,and 120, 122, respectively, xed at either end of the channel bar 20 whenthe carriage approaches the limit of its travel towards the respectiveends ofthe channel bar.

A suitable control circuit for controlling the excursions of thecarriage is vshown in Figure 4. The arrangement is such that thecarriage traverses the baseboard in one direction and automaticallystops. Actuation of remote control switch 124- will thereafter cause thecarriage to traverse the baseboard in the opposite direction. The remotecontrol switch may be mounted on the board at a convenient position ormay be fixed to the end of an extension cord that may be carried in thehand of the operator,

The ott-on switch 114 is normally biased closed and the switch 112 inposition to carry current to the motor in one direction. When thecarriage is at its right-hand limit of movement the trip bolt 122 holdsthe switch 114 open and no current is supplied to the driving motor.Upon closing the remote control switch 124, current is supplied to themotor around switch 1'14 and the carriage is driven away from the tripbolt 122. The switch 114 then closes and the remote control switch maythen be released. The carriage then traverses the baseboardl The untiltowards its left-hand limit of movement the-trip bolt 116 strikes thereversing switch 112 and the trip bolt 120 opens the switch 114. Uponsubsequent closure of the remote control switch 124, the carriagetraverses the baseboard in the opposite direction due to the currentsupply to the motor having been reversed by the prior actuation of theswitch- 112:* The same sequence of operations is repeated duringsubsequent operation of the machine. It may beV seen that the carriage`may be made to traverse the baseboard and return toits initial positionby eliminating the trip bolt 120.

Having `thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and isdesired to be protected by Letters Patent A trimmer comprising abaseboard having a cutting edge, uprights xed to said baseboard oneither side thereof, a` single transom supported on said uprights inparallelism with said cutting edge, -a carriage movably supported bysaid transom and having sides extendingA below said transom, a rack xedto the `bottom of'said transom between said sides, a rst shaftpositioned below said rack and journalled insaid sides of the carriage,a first gear mounted on said first shaft in mesh with said' rack, asecond shaft positioned below said rack and journalled in said sides ofthe carriage, a second gear mounted on said second shaft in mesh withsaid rst gear, a cutting blade mounted on said second shaft in cuttingassociation with said cutting edge, a reversible motor mounted on saidcarriage, means drivingly connecting said motor and one of said shafts,and cooperating means carried by said carriage and said transom,respectively, in positions for coacting engagement responsive tomovement of vthe cari riage along the transom for reversing said motorand theY movement of the carriage.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

